A handsome young man poses for his portrait in profile in the studio of T. L. Darnell in Cumberland, MD. This photo is definitely in the 1870s. The style of mount is rather common for that decade. This man’s hair is wavy but brushed back from his face. He has a bow tie and you can just see his vest under his coat.
Who Were They? 
One thing is for sure: people who gad portraits taken in this time period and in any country were not paupers. The more I think about these images, the more I feel they can be tracked down if one has the time and tenacity. :)
LikeLike
Mustang.Koji, Not totally true about people not being paupers. Photos became much less expensive by the time paper prints were available. And their clothes were often borrowed.
LikeLike
Much like today, there were photographers for every price point. Some were itinerant and set up their backdrop at fairs and festivals, others were elite and quite expensive, and there was everything in between.
LikeLike